Historical Background of Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine

The February 2022 military invasion of Ukraine by President Vladimir Putin, which overturned the very foundations of the world order, was not the result of a recent change in Putin’s thinking or personality; rather it was the inevitable outcome of the Russian policy of imperialism ongoing since the early 2000s. The assertions of former reformist leaders who ingratiated themselves to Putin after 2003, such as Anatoly Chubais, are accurate predictions of Putin’s behavior today. In particular, the Putin administration’s policy shift in June 2006 from an emphasis on “territorial integrity” to an emphasis on the “right to self-determination” is the basis for the subsequent war in Georgia, the annexation of Crimea, and today’s Ukraine problem. The West and Japan did not realize the seriousness of the policy shift in 2006 and continued their policy of appeasement toward Russia, resulting in the current situation. There will be no radical change in Russia after Putin.